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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. A. BEDDING.

' SWITCH STAND.

N0. 384,714. Patented June 19, 1888.

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. A. BEDDING.

S WITOH STAND.

No. 384,714. Patented June 19, 1888.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. BEDDING, OF NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO FRED \V. SNOW, OF

HILLBURN, NEW YORK.

SWITCH-STAN D.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 384,714, dated June 19,1888.

Application filed March 1, 1888. Serial No. 205.830. (Modem T ctZZ whomit may concern.-

Be it known that I,WILLIAM A. BEDDING, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the city of New York, in the county of New York, andState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSwitch-Stands, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of switchro stands illustrated in theLetters Patent granted to F.W. Snow, May 27, 1884, No. 299,176, and June23, 1885, No. 320,507, in which the crank targetshaft can be set by handto any desired position and locked without interfering with I 5 thepartial movement thereof when the position of the switch-rail is changedby the pressure of a. car-wheel, while a spring-actuated camblockcompletes the movement of the shaft begun by the action of theswitch-rail; and my invention consists in constructing the parts of thestand, as fully set forth hereinafter, so as to facilitate the operationand secure increased efficiency.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is 2 5 a side elevation of myimproved switch-stand.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of part of the stand. Fig. 3 is avertical section of Fig. 5. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan upon the line 12, Fig. 2; Figs. 5, 7, 8, and 9, partly sectional views o illustratingmodifications of parts of the stand Fig. 6, a section on the line 3 4,Fig. 5.

The frame A is of any suitable construction, and in bearings thereinturns, without sliding, the target-shaft B, having at the lower end a 35 crank, G, to which is connected the switchrod D, so that by turningthe shaft B the switchrail is changed from one position to another, asusual. A portion, a, of the shaft B is angular or otherwise constructedto carry with the shaft in rotating one section, b, of a clutch, E,consisting of said section b, and another section, 0, in which the shaftcan turn, and a lever, F, is connected by a link, d, or otherwise to theclutch-section b and to the shaft B, and serves to raise and lower saidsection on the shaft.

The sections a b are constructed to engage or interlock when together.Different clutching bearings may be used, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4. Thesection a has an angular hub, c, that enters an angular socket, a, inthe section b, and ears f on the section 0 also enter radial slots inthe section b.

In Fig. 6 the hub c is dispensed with.

In Fig. 7 there are earsf on the section b coinciding with those on thesection a. In Figs. 8 and 9 the hubc is shown as being on the section band the socket win the section 0. The section 0 is provided at its underside with a circular rack having double-beveled 6o teeth adapted to andengaging with a similar rack, g, on a block, -G, sliding in a suitableguide in the frame A and resting on a stiff spring, H, having its lowerbearing on the frame or on a collar on the shaft. When the switch is tobe set by the operator, I he raises the lever F until theclutch-sections are disengaged, as shown in Fig. 2, and then turns theshaft B until the switch is in the de sired position. He then lowers thelever and clutch section, thereby engaging the two sections, as shown inFigs. 1 and 3. If after the switchrail is thus set in position any unau-I thorized person attempts to move it, the shaft B will remain in itsposition, as any pressure or thrust on the crank O tending to turn theshaft and the clutch now locked thereto will be resisted by theinterlocked racks g 9. Should a powerful pressure, like that of acarwheel, be applied to swing the switch-rail, 8c as results when a carmoves onto the switch wrongly set, this pressure will be sufficient toturn the shaft, clutch, and rack g, the teeth of which, acting on thoseof the rack will depress the block G against the resistance of thespring H, andas the points of the teeth on one rack pass those of theother the upward pressure of the spring will cause the lower rack-teethto act as cams or wedges and aid in rotating the clutch and shaft,carrying the switch-rail fully over into its opposite position, towardwhich it was partly thrown by the action of the car-wheel. To preventunauthorized manipulation of the switchstand,

I provide means for locking the two parts of 5 the clutch together. Thusthe ears ff of the two parts may have coincident openings to receive thebolt or tongue of a look, as shown in Fig. 7. I prefer, however, toperforate one or more of the ears f above a flange, h, or other I00 partof the clutch-section b, as shown in Figs. 1 to 6 and Figs. 8 and 9, andto pass the tongue of the lock through such perforation. By this means Iavoid the necessity of locking thelever and of making the latter strongenough to resist attempts to break it to unlock the switch, While thelocked parts, being of cast metal, can be cheaply made of any requisitestrength.

Each of the ears f may be perforated, so that the locking-bolt may bepassed through any one of them; but the perforation of a single ear onlywill suffice, and it is essential to use but a single ear; but as inthis case there must be a number of slots, I prefer to use acorresponding number of ears, as they close the slots when theclutch-section c is down, and thereby prevent the said slots frombecoming clogged with ice, &c. In Fig. 9 the ears are on the uppersection, b, and project through slots in the lower section.

\Vithout limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement ofparts shown, I claim 1. The combination, in a switch-stand having atargetshaft and sliding toothed block, of a clutch, one section providedwith teeth engaging those of the block, and a lock directly engaging thetwo sections of the clutch,

substantially as described.

2. The combination of the stand-frame, sliding toothed block resting ona spring, targetshaft, and clutch, one section sliding on and turningwith the shaft, the other with teeth engaging those of the block, andalock directly engaging with the two sections, substantially asdescribed.

3. The combination of the stand-frame, target-shaft, spring, and slidingtoothed block, a clutch, one section sliding on the shaft and a leverfor sliding it, the other section having teeth engaging with those ofthe block, and a projection on one section fitting a slot in the otherand recessed to receive a locking-bolt, substantially as set forth.

4. The sections of the clutch upon the target-shaft, one section havinga series of slots and the other section a series of ears extendingthrough and beyond the slots, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

XVILLIAM A. BEDDING.

\Vitnesses:

LoUIs F. GOLDMANN, EDWD. K. ANDERTON.

